


I See Fire (Feel the Heat Upon My Skin)

by Huntress8611



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Canon Era, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fear, Fear of Death, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Insecure Merlin (Merlin), Magic Revealed, Merlin's Magic Revealed (Merlin), Out of Character, Panic Attacks, Protective Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Scared Merlin (Merlin), probably
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-20
Updated: 2019-06-20
Packaged: 2020-05-15 01:54:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19285714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Huntress8611/pseuds/Huntress8611
Summary: “What is this, Merlin?” he said forcefully.Merlin jumped before freezing in place, the pile of clothes falling to the floor and his eyes returning to their normal blue.“Merlin,” he snapped, wanting a response.Merlin dropped to his knees, his breaths quickly becoming ragged. “Please, I’m sorry, sorry, so sorry, please,” he begged, “Please, I can’t- I don’t- please, please, Arthur, I don’t wanna burn! Please, pleasepleaseplease…”





	I See Fire (Feel the Heat Upon My Skin)

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Lies Cut Deep](https://archiveofourown.org/works/633460) by [elirwen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/elirwen/pseuds/elirwen). 
  * Inspired by [before it breaks](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4643274) by [schweet_heart](https://archiveofourown.org/users/schweet_heart/pseuds/schweet_heart). 



> The title of this work is from the song I See Fire by Ed Sheeran.

Arthur was tired. He’d just finished his dinner after training new knights all day, and some of them were practically hopeless. He was looking forward to resting that night.

He opened the door to his chambers and his jaw dropped open. Merlin was inside, which was normal, but the pile of clothes floating next to him as his eyes glowed gold? Definitely not normal. He shut and locked the door behind him, not wanting to risk anyone else discovering Merlin’s secret.

“What is this, Merlin?” he said forcefully.

Merlin jumped before freezing in place, the pile of clothes falling to the floor and his eyes returning to their normal blue.

“Merlin,” he snapped, wanting a response.

Merlin dropped to his knees, his breaths quickly becoming ragged. “Please, I’m sorry, sorry, so sorry, please,” he begged, “Please, I can’t- I don’t- please, please, Arthur, I don’t wanna burn! Please, pleaseplease _please…”_ he repeated, not stopping his pleas, even when Arthur tried to talk.

“Merlin-” He took a step towards him and Merlin pushed himself back, moving away from Arthur.

“Please, have mercy, please, don’t let me burn, I don’t wanna burn- anything else, any other way, please…”

Atrthur crouched down and reached a hand out towards Merlin. Merlin flinched, scrambling back, pushing himself into a corner. Arthur stood up and slowly approached him, crouching in front of his friend, in front of the boy that he thought of as his younger brother. He could hear him. He was still pleading, not for his life, but for a quick death. It made Arthur sick to his stomach.

“Merlin,” he said softly, “Merlin, it’s okay, you’re safe. I’m not going to hurt you.”

Merlin didn’t react to Arthur’s words, too wrapped up in his own spiraling thoughts. He flinched, whimpering when he felt a hand on his shoulder, terrified. “Please, please Arthur, don’t let me burn…”

Arthur wrapped his arms around him, holding him close. “I won’t,” he vowed, resting his chin on the younger man’s head. “You won’t. I won’t let you burn. I swear. I swear it on my life, Merlin. You will not burn. You’re safe.”

 _“Thank you._ Thank you thankyouthankyou. Sorry. I didn’t tell you, I’m sorry. I wanted to, Arthur. Please believe me. I really wanted too, I just- I was so _scared,_ Arthur. So scared-” he rambled frantically, his hands grabbing onto the front of Arthur’s shirt.

“Merlin,” he said softly, standing up, the boy in his arms. “Merlin, it’s okay.”

He carried the boy across the room, sitting down on his bed and leaning against the headboard. He shifted Merlin so that he was sitting sideways on his lap with his face tucked into the crook of Arthur’s neck. Arthur held him tightly with one arm, cupping the back of his skull with his other hand.

“I’m so sorry, Arthur, so sorry,” he said, still rambling. “I messed up, please don’t hate me, I’m sorry, I should have told you, I’m sorry…”

“Merlin,” Arthur said, trying to get the boy’s attention. “Merlin!”

Merlin flinched at the harsh tone, quickly falling silent.

“Merlin, I don’t hate you. You’re safe here. Do you understand?” When he received no response, he continued softly, “Merlin, I need you to at least nod or shake your head. Do you understand that you’re safe here?”

He nodded his head hesitantly, sniffling.

“Okay. I know you’re scared, but it’s okay. I wish that you would’ve told me, but I know that you didn’t because you were scared. It’s alright, I’m not mad at you for that. You were terrified, Merlin, and you had every reason to be.”

He held the boy close for a bit, feeling him slowly relax in his embrace. After a few minutes, he pushed Merlin away slightly and felt him tense up once again.

“Merlin,” he said softly, carefully tilting his face upwards. “I want you to look me in the eyes and I want you to say ‘You will not hurt me, Arthur. I am safe here. You will keep me safe.’ Can you do that for me?”

“You- you won’t hurt me,” he said hesitantly.

“Again.”

“You won’t hurt me,” he said, slightly more confident. “I’m safe here.”

“And?”

“I’m safe here. You will keep me safe,” he said quietly.

“Everything you just said is true, Merlin. I won’t let any harm come to you. Got it?”

Merlin nodded and Arthur pulled him back against his chest.

“I- My first day here,” he suddenly said, stopping abruptly. Arthur waited silently for him to continue. “My first day in Camelot there was an execution. It scared me. After that I saw hundreds more. Some by beheading, others- others by- they- by burning. I still- I still have nightmares. About the pyre, I mean. Burning. Arthur, I can still hear them screaming. I dream- In my dreams it’s me, I’m the one on the pyre, I’m the one burning.”

The last part was quiet, almost inaudible, but Arthur still heard it. He tightened his hold on Merlin, carefully running his fingers through his hair.

“Arthur?” he asked. “I- can I- I just-”

“Merlin, it’s okay. You can say or ask whatever you need too.”

“I just- I’m still scared.”

Arthur barely heard the last part, but he could tell that Merlin was ashamed.

“Merlin, you’re allowed to still be scared. You hid this for years. Just because I know now doesn’t mean that it’s wrong to still be scared. Now, what do you need, Merlin? I can tell you want to ask me something.”

“I- I just- I can’t- I don’t wanna be alone right now.”

“You can stay here, Merlin,” Arthur said reassuringly.

“Thank you,” he said, pressing himself closer to Arthur.

“Sleep, Merlin. You can tell me more tomorrow.”

“Goodnight, Arthur.”

“Goodnight, Merlin.


End file.
